Water
by Vos
Summary: Water is the most valuable commodity in the world, and Pippa, accidental heir to Ellesmere's throne, is about to find out that the precious liquid brings more death than life.
1. Chapter 1

_Water, water everywhere…_

Pippa hated water. She hated cheese, too. She especially hated being sold like cheese in exchange for water. Sitting on a rotten stump, deep in the moonlit Elven woods, Pippa contemplated her fate as the only daughter of the Count of Tavaris.

Situated on the Eastern border of Ellesmere, Tavaris was rich in the land's most coveted resource: water. The other noble families of Ellesmere were eager to ally themselves with the Tavaris clan, making Pippa one of the most eligible young women in the land. Lord Tavaris had made very profitable alliances for his son, but he was holding out for something else for his daughter; he was waiting for the king to make a proposal before considering any other offers.

Pippa sat on her log with her chin in her hands and sulked. A new suitor arrived at Tavaris Castle with every phase of the moon. Today, the ancient Earl of Wiverley had come to propose, and Pippa had been forced to sit next to him at supper. The man was a pig, which dishonours pigs. He picked his teeth, wiped his mouth on the tablecloth and sneezed on his plate. Pippa had gone without supper that night, for fear of losing the contents of her stomach at the table. Fortunately, Pippa's father had not been suitably impressed by the wealth of Wiverley, and the Duke had left without a betrothal.

Repulsed and alarmed by the idea of being married to a man with a son older than she was, Pippa had lost her temper and rounded on her father. A loud shouting match had ensued, ending with a resounding crack as her father's hand connected with her face.

From her perch on the log, Pippa watched the moon through the thick trees and rubbed her stinging cheek. Her sulking was rudely interrupted by loud, male voices ringing out through the woods. Pippa stiffened, afraid that her father had sent out a search party to retrieve her.

Leaving Folly, her mare, by the log, Pippa crept through the dense foliage toward the voices. Covering her bright red hair with a hood, she peered through a space in the leaves and spied a few soldiers standing in a clearing, talking in loud, carrying voices. Mail shirts peeked out from under their tunics, and each was armed with a sword. Several more soldiers were sprawled on the grass nearby. In the stillness of the night, Pippa could clearly hear their conversation.

"I've heard she's got a temper," said a dark-haired man.

His companions laughed.

"Aye," said the one to his left. "Turns completely red when she's angry. Looks like a wee carrot" he laughed, indicating a spot under his shoulder.

Pippa, crouching in the underbrush, bristled at the comment. She knew she was short and rather scrawny, but she hated being reminded of it. Then, she frowned. These were not her father's soldiers; their tunics were the wrong colour. The Tavaris clan colours were yellow and blue. The soldiers wore red.

Pippa shuffled a little closer, trying to get a clear look at the coat of arms embroidered on the soldiers' sleeves. As she inched her way forward, her view of the clearing became wider, and Pippa's eyes widened in horror. These were not her father's men; they were from Sayre, another powerful clan in Ellesmere. And there were hundreds of them.

Pippa's heart began to pound, and she slowly backed away from the army. Her foot found a dry branch, and a loud crack echoed through the still, night air. Pippa froze. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Who's there?" A blond soldier unsheathed his sword and squinted through the gloom in Pippa's direction. His long weapon gleamed in the moonlight. Her breathing quick and irregular, Pippa stood as still as a statue. Centuries passed, and then another voice broke the silence.

"Aw, Jem, don't be so paranoid," said the dark-hair man. "It's probably a rabbit."

"You're right," said Jem, but his eyes swept the foliage, looking for any sign of movement.

Pippa slowly backed away from her hiding spot. Once she was far enough, she broke into a mad run, weaving through the trees like a fox with hounds on its tail. Folly was waiting for her near the log. Using the log as a step, Pippa swung herself onto the mare and dug her knees into Folly's side.

"Go, Folly," she urged the mare, desperation and fear weaving through her voice like poison. She had to warn her family. The mare obliged, and Pippa clutched the reins as her horse galloped through the woods. Pippa sat low in her saddle, face nearly on the horse's neck. Finally, they broke through the line of trees and Pippa raised her head to look at her family's castle, only to be greeted with a vast expanse of water.

"No," she breathed, feeling as though she had been kicked in the chest. She had gone the wrong way. No castle, but a massive lake lay before her, stretching over the fields, reflecting the sliver light of moon. Dread spreading through her veins like ice on a window, Pippa pulled Folly's reins, turning her back into the woods.

"Faster!" she urged the mare, trying to control the paralyzing fear that threatened to overwhelm her. Folly's body was covered in sweat, and foam dripped from her mouth. The exhausted horse stumbled on the uneven ground and collapsed, sending Pippa into the air. She felt a sharp pain in her head as she hit the ground. Before she had time to panic, the world went dark.

_Reviews are very much appreciated._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Pippa opened her eyes to blinding sunlight streaming through the trees. Her entire body felt like a massive bruise. Cautiously raising a hand to her head, she felt a thick layer dried blood caked to her hair. Staring at the dark flakes of blood in her hand, Pippa's memories of the previous night came rushing back. Fighting the panic that threatened to overwhelm her, she scrambled to her feet. Folly was silently grazing a few feet away. Pippa stumbled toward her horse on wobbly legs, feeling as though her head had been split in two. Pulling herself into the saddle, she urged Folly homeward.

A few minutes later, the edge of the forest came into sight. Pippa emerged into the bright daylight and nearly fell off her horse at the sight that met her eyes. Tavaris castle stood blackened and destroyed, a few tendrils of smoke still wafting from the towers. Pippa slid off her horse and raced through the gates, desperately hoping that her family was still alive. Headache forgotten, she stumbled into the courtyard and surveyed what remained of her home.

Bodies littered the ground, and dark blood ran in rivulets between the cobblestones. Pippa felt bile rise in her throat and fell to her knees, retching.

"Father," she screamed, kneeling on the blood-spattered stones. "Theo! Answer me!"

Silence. Pippa shakily stood and raced into the castle, narrowly avoiding the body of a Tavaris soldier.

"Theo! It's Pippa!" she sobbed, standing in the remains of the Great Hall. Tables had been hacked into pieces, and shards of blood- stained glass littered the floor like poppies in a meadow. Darting around the jagged ruins of furniture, she ran through the hall and up the staircase beyond.

"Theo!" she sobbed, tearing up the stairs. She tripped on a blood-smeared step, and her screams died in her throat. The blue, unseeing eyes of her brother stared back at her, his body lying spread-eagle on the steps. Pippa bit back a scream. Theo's side was dark with blood, and his skin was pale in death. With a trembling hand, she carefully closed his eyes and turned to the body of her father, which lay next to her dead brother.

He lay face down, and a dagger protruded from his back. Pippa tried to turn him over, but she could not lift his dead weight. Exhausted and wracked with guilt, she collapsed on the stairs and began to sob.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, choking on her words. "I'm sorry I couldn't warn you. I'm sorry I went the wrong way. It's my fault. I'm so sorry."

A little voice at the back of her head insisted that the Sayre's were responsible for the carnage, but Pippa ignored it. She continued to weep, her dress soaking up the blood from the floor, until the skirt was completely crimson.

Several hours later, Pippa lay on the floor of the hall. Hysteria had faded into shock, and then complete numbness. Bracing her hands against the wall, Pippa slowly stood up. Attempts to move her father and brother's bodies proved futile, so Pippa covered them with a blanket. Taking a deep breath, she silently made her way up the stairs, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs from her mind.

She searched the second floor and the towers, but found no survivors. Despicable as though they may be, Pippa had to admit that the Sayres were very thorough. Anger began to boil in her breast, sweeping away the numbness and clearing her mind.

Pippa decided to travel to Bain, Ellesmere's capital city and the residence of King Edward VII. She would ask for protection and demand him to punish those responsible for the slaughter of the Tavaris clan. Pippa was certain that the King would take action; after all, the Tavaris family was connected to the royal line by blood, and Pippa herself was eleventh in line for the throne. Well, yesterday she had been eleventh. Today she was ninth.

Pippa's room had been left untouched. She peeled off her ruined dress, splashed some water over her face and slipped on a dark grey gown for the journey. She grabbed a few other articles of clothing from her wardrobe and extracted a bulging bag of coins from under her mattress. The coins had been a gift from Theo, who had wanted to give his sister a little independence. Pippa tied her belongings in her bed sheets and went off in search of a map. Tavaris Castle was on an isolated stretch of land and she wasn't well acquainted with the surrounding countryside.

Her father's study, located in the north tower of the castle, had also remained relatively intact. Pippa slowly walked to his desk, which was littered with books and sheets of parchment. She touched the spines of the books that lay on the desk, books she had never been allowed read. Like most females in Ellesmere, Pippa had been taught the basics of writing and mathematics. The primary part of her education, however, had consisted of learning to dance, curtsey and run a household.

Her hand came into contact with a sharp object, and she cried out in pain as blood welled on her finger. Brushing aside the parchments, she found a short dagger with a handle inlaid with precious stones.

"This could come in handy," she said to the empty room. Her voice seemed very loud in the silence. A more thorough search of his desk revealed a map of Ellesmere and the Tavaris signet ring, a yellow diamond. She slipped the ring on her finger

Pippa knew that the journey to Bain would last at least two days; she had been to the city on several occasions. She never paid much attention to the road, however, and she had no idea how to get to the city. She spread the map on her father's desk and carefully traced the route from Tavaris to Bain. It was a straight road, passing through a small town called Senn where she could spend the night. With a final glance around the room, Pippa left. She quickly ran through the manor, trying not to look at the bodies, which were beginning to smell in the heat of the summer.

Pippa found Folly in the stables. With some difficulty and much cursing, she located a pair of saddlebags, stuffed her bundle inside and slung it over Folly's back. Panting from exertion, she slowly climbed onto the horse and guided Folly through the castle gates and onto the road to Bain. Her horse cantered forward and Pippa did not look back.

_Should I post more? Please review and tell me what you think!_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Several hours later, as the sun set over the lake-dotted fields, Pippa arrived in Senn. It was a quiet, prosperous town, with well-swept streets and brightly painted window frames. Wearily sliding off her saddle, Pippa approached a woman sweeping the doorway of her home.

"Excuse me, madam," she said, managing a tired curtsy. "Can you tell me how to find the nearest inn?"

The woman peered at Pippa through her spectacles, taking in her messy hair and bedraggled clothes.

"You'll be wanting the Travellers' Inn," she said, deciding that the disheveled, albeit unescorted, girl was not a threat. "It's just down the road, next to the apothecary shop."

"Thank you," Pippa replied, with the ghost of a smile. Taking Folly's reins, she led the horse to the brightly lit Inn. Leaving the mare in the hands of a young, freckled stable boy, Pippa entered the tall, redbrick building. It was full of people eating and chatting merrily. No one paid any attention to her as she walked through the room and approached the bar. A tall, whiskered man stood behind it, exchanging jokes with another customer. Pippa, unwilling to intrude on the conversation, stood near the bar and fidgeted with her dress.

"How can I help you, little lady?" boomed a loud, boisterous voice near her shoulder. Pippa jumped and turned around to face the Innkeeper.

"I'd like some supper and a room, please," she said, conscious of how strange she must look – a single young woman without a husband or a chaperone. The Innkeeper seemed to be thinking the same thing, but after a few moments of consideration, shrugged his shoulders and gestured for her to sit down.

She climbed onto a stool at the bar and he placed a bowl of stew in front of her. Quietly eating, Pippa listened to the hum of conversation around her.

"Lot of happy faces tonight." Pippa lifted her head from her bowl before realizing that the statement hadn't been addressed to her.

"Water prices are up again. The King negotiated a new deal with Kymera."

"Bloody brilliant. After all, the Kymerans can afford it, what with all their gold."

"I've heard they have more gold than we do water."

"Wouldn't be surprised."

Pippa silently listened to their conversation. She had also heard about the vast reserves of Kymeran gold. Her father had often bitterly complained that the Kymerans did not pay enough for Ellesmere's water, and that they could certainly afford to pay more.

"All finished, now?" Pippa started in surprise and looked up to see the innkeeper peering down at her. She nodded, blushing that she had been caught eavesdropping. "I'll show you your room, then."

He led her up a set of worn wooden steps and down a corridor, and then stopped in front of a wooden door.

"Here we are," he said, opening the room to reveal a small bed, a washbasin and a chair. "That'll be three pieces of silver for the night, and another piece if you want porridge in the morning."

Pippa handed him the money and entered the room. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She dreamed of blood and fire, and in the morning, she was just as tired as she had been the night before. Nevertheless, after a breakfast of porridge, which slid down her throat like mud, Pippa set off on the next leg of her journey.

Pippa reached Bain by late afternoon. The city was quite small, and it was surrounded by thick walls with guard towers every twenty metres. Soldiers with the royal insignia patrolled the walls, surveying traffic. Vendors and street merchants lined the streets, their stalls piled with a vast array of good ranging from colourful silks to squawking chickens. People rushed through the streets, going about their daily business, paying no attention to the tired young woman wearily maneuvering her way through the city.

Pippa reached the massive, heavily guarded archway leading to the Palace proper. Too tired to think straight, she motioned for the guards to open the gate. They didn't budge.

"What business do you have here?" called a bearded young guard, the arrogance and ignorance of youthful stupidity evident in his voice.

"I am Lady Pippa, Countess of Tavaris," she responded, fixing him with a tired glare. "My business is my own."

The guard laughed.

"Sure you are," he called. "Prove it."

Anger at the soldier's impudence made her forget about her aching body, and she slid off her horse. Marching up to the young man, she thrust her fist up to his face, the Tavaris signet ring on her middle finger, yellow diamond sparkling in the afternoon sun. The soldier blanched and hurried to apologize.

"Stop your twittering and let me in," she snapped. He rushed to obey her, and upon opening the gate, led her through the crowded palace courtyard to the king's chamberlain, Lord Neal of Arya.

Lord Neal, a tall, young man with very light blond hair, and a long beaky nose, examined her ring and announced it authentic with a sniff.

"Follow me," he said in a nasal voice. Pippa left Folly with the guard and hurried off after the chamberlain. They traveled through a maze of beautifully decorated halls and corridors, each more dazzling than the last. Nobles in rustling silk gowns strolled together in groups, chatting animatedly. Pippa noticed many of them giving her curious looks. Her face burned crimson and she self-consciously brushed some travel dust off her gown and cloak.

After several minutes of walking, during which Pippa became thoroughly lost, they reached a set of carved wooden doors.

"These are the king's private chambers," Lord Neal informed her with another sniff. Pippa stifled the urge to throttle him. "Only the most privileged of guests are received here." He pulled open the doors.

Pippa stepped into an enormous hall with marble floors and a vast array of weapons hanging on the walls. It was empty except for a massive golden throne, on which the king was perched, and a paint spattered young man standing behind a large easel.

King Edward VII was a very handsome man, and he was very much aware of it. At the sound of the opening door, he shifted his pose to glance at the newcomers. Seeing Pippa, his face broke into a smile.

"Lady Pippa," he called jovially, getting up from his throne with a rustle of lilac silk. The painter made a sound of protest. Glancing back at him, the king said, "We'll finish tomorrow, Torrigan."

The young man reluctantly nodded and began to pack his supplies. Edward turned back to Pippa, who was fidgeting with impatience. Her weariness had disappeared as hope began to surge through her body.

"I haven't seen you since you were a little girl," he said. After a moment, "you're still little, but no longer a girl."

Pippa gritted her teeth and tried to smile.

"But where is your family?" Edward asked, peering behind her. "I am looking forward to discussing the water market with your father."

"They're dead!" Pippa burst out, her voice cracking. The chamberlain gave a surprised sniffle, and out of the corner of her eye, Pippa saw the painter, Torrigan, look up with a start.

The King's blue eyes darkened. He motioned for the other men to leave, and closing the door behind them, gestured for her to continue.

"They were murdered by the Sayres. I saw the soldiers with my own eyes. Everyone is dead! Even the servants. I'm the only one left." Pippa wiped a shaking hand across her eyes.

"Have you told this to anyone else?" Edward demanded, his eyes boring into hers. "Have you told anyone that the Sayre clan attacked Tavaris?"

"N-no."

"Good."

"Good? What? Why?" The bubbles of hope she had been carefully preserving over her journey abruptly burst.

Towering over her by nearly a foot, Edward gently grasped Pippa by the forearms as she swayed, suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. She craned her neck to look up at him, fighting off a wave of dizziness.

"I want you to keep this information to yourself, my dear Pippa."

"But why? They killed my family! They could have killed me!"

"Listen to me," he said, frustration lacing his voice. "I know you aren't stupid, so let me share something with you."

He released her arms and began to pace across the room. She sagged against the wall.

"The heads of seven clans are dead, as well as their heirs. Seven. The Earl of Wiverley died last week, so that makes eight. Infighting is already rampant, and the struggle for power in Ellesmere is becoming more dangerous."

Pippa stared at him, uncomprehending. He sighed.

"If I reveal that the Sayres are responsible for the murder of the Tavaris clan, civil war will break out. The other clans are only waiting for the chance to leap at each other's throats. I don't want to give them the opportunity."

"But you're the king! Can't you do something? Can't you stop them?"

"I may be king, but I can't stop them from killing each other for water," he said bitterly. "I have no real control over them."

Pippa felt energy draining from her body. Her faith in the king's ability to _Do Something_ had sustained through her journey. Now, she had nothing left. Stunned, she allowed the king to gently guide her through the door and into the capable hands of Lord Neal.

"Show her to the Tavaris residence," said Edward. "And find her some new clothes."

Once again, Pippa followed Lord Neal as he sniffled his way to another part of the palace. Thoroughly lost, Pippa nearly walked into him when he stopped in front of a door marked with the Tavaris crest, two rivers converging into an eagle on a yellow background.

Lord Neal took out a huge, jangling ring of keys and, having located the one he was looking for, handed it to her.

"Do not lose it," he said. "I am a very busy man, and I can't run after stray keys." He turned on his heel and hurried off back the way they had come. "And there will be a celebration in your honour tonight," he called as he rounded the corner.

"Celebration?" Pippa squeaked. She received no response; the hallway was deserted. Pippa turned to the door to her rooms and took a deep breath. She carefully placed the key in the lock and slowly turned it. It opened with a click, and she pushed open the door. Feeling as though she were entering a crypt, Pippa stepped through the door and quietly closed it behind her. Then, she turned around to look at her new home.

_Comments? Suggestions? _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The air was stale, and furniture was covered in white sheets. The windows were tightly sealed, and Pippa scarcely dared to breathe in the oppressive gloom. The light from the full moon shining through the windows cast an eerie glow about the room. Reluctant to move, she was startled out of her reverie by a knock on the door. Her heart leaped to her throat, and she nearly swallowed her tongue as the door flew open and a tall, young man fell inside, face obscured by a massive pile of fabric.

"Must have pushed it too hard," he said, looking up at Pippa. She glared at him, hand over her heart, and took a few calming breaths.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"A thousand pardons, my lady," he said, hopping to his feet and sweeping a courtly bow. A smile crept onto Pippa's face. "She smiles! And what a smile! A ray of sunshine could not brighten the room more gloriously," he exclaimed, grasping her hand and bringing it to his lips.

Pippa felt herself turning red and tugged her hand out of his grasp.

"What's all this?" she asked, indicating the pile of fabric littering the floor. "And who are you?"

"That is a very wrinkled part of your new wardrobe, and I am Kamil, Earl of Wiverley, and very, very single."

"How nice for you."

"I have been sent here to formally welcome you to the Palace. So, Welcome. And I am pleased to invite you to an impromptu royal supper hastily thrown together in honour of your unexpected appearance."

"Seriously?"

"Well, that's the gist of it, anyway. The original speech was longer. I have a bad memory."

Pippa laughed. Kamil grinned and motioned to the clothes.

"A maid will come to help you dress. I'm afraid I must be off. The six-year-old Marquis of Gdyn disappeared in the North Wing last night, and his mother is getting worried. I'm part of the search party."

"He disappeared inside the castle?"

Kamil chuckled. "This place is a maze. People get lost all the time, sometimes disappearing for days."

"That's terrible!"

"Don't worry. They always turn up. Eventually."

"How reassuring."

Kamil gave her another smile, kissed her hand and left. Pippa watched him saunter down the hall and felt a smile spread on her face. She liked this charming, forward young man.

Smile still in place, Pippa began to pick up the clothes he had dropped and draped them over the furniture. Most of the dresses were too long and would have to be altered. She chose a dark blue gown with a square neckline and embroidery at the hem and pried open the windows in the room. The air inside her apartments was too still, too silent.

The view from her window showed the edge of the king's forest. As she stared at the dense line of trees, she heard someone come into the room.

"My lady?"

"Yes?" Pippa turned around to see a large, motherly woman standing in the doorway, holding a candle.

"Ah, lovely," said the woman. Pippa sensed energy pouring off her in droves. She felt a stir of trepidation. "Such a pretty girl. I'll just run a bath, and we'll have a nice chat."

Several minutes later, Pippa approached a large tub of steaming water and warily put her toe in. She really hated getting wet.

Her new maid, Mrs. Ellen Mirren, had no such qualms. She marched up behind Pippa and efficiently pushed her into the tub.

"What are you doing!" Pippa protested, wiping scalding water out of her eyes. "Do you want to drown me in my own bathtub?"

"Of course not," she said as she poured soap onto the girl's hair. Pippa began to doubt those words as her head was pushed underwater by a firm hand.

"I can do it myself," she sputtered. "I don't need any help!"

"Nonsense."

Many, many agonizing minutes later, Pippa was whisked out of the tub and tightly laced into the blue dress.

"Does it have to be so tight?" she gasped, holding a chair for support. The maid obligingly loosened Pippa's corset and set out to capture Pippa's wild hair into something resembling a bun. Pippa felt somewhat placated as she watched the maid struggle with her unruly curls. After all, the woman had nearly drowned her.

After a few more minutes of pulling and twisting, Mrs. Ellie, as she said to be called, pushed Pippa out of her apartments, reminding her to keep her legs crossed and her elbows off the table.

"I know that," Pippa snapped at the closed door. She turned and stalked up the corridor. Preoccupied with fuming about upstart maids and murdering nobles, it took her several minutes to notice that she was in an unfamiliar part of the palace.

"Bugger!" She turned around and hurried back down the corridor, but after a few minutes of running back and forth through identical passages, she realized that she was hopelessly lost.

"Hello?" she called.

Louder, "Hello! I'm lost!"

Silently cursing, in case the young Marquis of Gdyn was within hearing distance, Pippa turned around and looked into a warm pair of brown eyes. She jumped with surprise and stepped back to realize that she was looking at a painting. A life-size, incredibly lifelike painting.

Pippa's eyes swept the rest of the wall. It was lined in similar paintings. She had stumbled upon a gallery. She walked along the length of the room, marveling at the extraordinary likeness and accuracy that the painter had managed to capture. She wondered why such beautiful pieces were located in such a desolate part of the palace.

Something blue caught her eye. She moved in front of a painting of a handsome young man in a blue cloak, and her eyes widened in recognition. It was a portrait of Sameth, son of the Count of Faria. She peered closer at the painting, and her eye caught a glint of gold on the frame.

Pippa knelt on the hard, wooded floor and squinted to read the small letter on the little plaque. _Sameth of Gdyn 479 – 501. _She felt her head spin. Sameth was dead.

"Did you know him?"

Pippa squeaked in a most embarrassing manner and peered up at the figure standing next to her.

"Who are you?" Pippa asked, once her heart had settled back into its rightful place.

"Torrigan. The painter." Pippa nodded, vaguely recalling his face from the king's chambers. "Did you know him?" he repeated.

"Yes. I also knew his father," she said, indicating the next portrait. "And his little brother is lost in the palace. Why are these portraits hanging in here?"

"Their deaths signaled the beginning of a bloody clan war between the Sayres and the Gdyns."

"Oh. Infighting over water, right?"

Torrigan nodded.

"Who are the rest of these people?" she asked, her arm sweeping about the room at the twenty portraits that hung from the walls.

"They are the heads and heirs of influential families who died in the past four years," Torrigan said, his voice completely devoid of emotion.

"They're all dead? Then why aren't the portraits in a public place, serving as mementos?"

Torrigan shrugged and extended a hand to Pippa, who pulled herself up off the floor. His palm was calloused and very cold. Pippa surreptitiously wiped her hand on her skirt in an effort to warm it, and slowly, the cold melted away.

"The balance of power is shifting, and the king is worried about civil war. That's why he's keeping the paintings here. Out of sight, out of mind, right?" she asked. Torrigan shrugged again. Pippa was unsettled by his complete lack of empathy and silently followed him out of the gallery.

He led her through several long corridors, until Pippa began to recognize her surroundings. They were heading to the king's apartments. The sniffing chamberlain greeted them at the door.

"Ah, Lady Pippa." Sniff. Torrigan reached into his pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief. The chamberlain accepted it gratefully and loudly blew his nose.

"Tor, you're a lifesaver," he said. "I lost mine this morning, and my cold is back, and I've been sniffing at people all morning, and – thank you." Torrigan nodded.

"They're ready for you," Neal said, turning to Pippa with a wide smile. Pippa was disconcerted at the change in him, but she smiled back nonetheless.

Entering the chamber, she noticed that a large table had been set up in the centre of the hall. Men and women in glittering clothes filled the room. Pippa felt very short, very plain and very self-conscious as the courtiers turned to stare at the newcomers. Seconds later, she realized that most of the women were staring at Torrigan with obvious longing and shooting daggers in her direction. She shuffled away from the painter. They could have him, the cold, unfeeling prat.

"Lady Pippa!" The king's voice rang out in the room as he advanced in her direction. Pippa plastered a smile on her face as the king took her arm and steered her in the direction of the table. "You get to sit next to me!"

"I'm honoured," Pippa said, lying through her smiling teeth. To her delight, however, she found that Kamil, the single Earl of Wiverley, was on her right.

"We meet again," he said, pouring her a liberal amount of wine from the nearest bottle. "You look like you need it."

Pippa's smile became genuine as she took a sip of the tart, sour liquid.

"I think I like you." Out of the corner of her eye, she spied Torrigan sitting near the end of the table. Kamil noticed her glance.

"Has the Lady fallen under Torrigan's spell?"

"No. He just escorted me here."

"You mean he found you lost and alone in a deserted part of the castle and led you here, because he didn't trust you not to get lost again."

"That's what I said."

"Of course. Please excuse me. I have not cleaned my ears since I moved away from my home and my mother. My hearing must be off."

Pippa opened her mouth to respond, but the king cut her off.

"I would like to welcome the Countess of Tavaris to Bain!" he announced, waving a hand in her direction. Pippa stood for a moment and bobbed her head at the rest of the guests. "And since everyone is here, I may as well show you my new painting, completed by young Torrigan this evening."

The king stepped away from the table and moved to cloth-draped easel. He carefully removed the cloth. The painting was incredible. Torrigan had managed to capture every detail of the king's face, especially the eyes. Standing next to the vibrant portrait, the King looked drab and diminished in comparison. Pippa felt uneasy about the portrait, but everyone seemed enthralled by it. She decided to leave the matter alone for the time being and focused on the more immediate problem: dinner.

_Comments? I'd love to know what you think!_


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